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Advance Wars: Days of Ruin

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A turn-based strategy ( TBS ) game is a strategy game (usually some type of wargame , especially a strategic-level wargame) where players take turns when playing. This is distinguished from real-time strategy (RTS) , in which all players play simultaneously.

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96-644: Advance Wars: Days of Ruin , released as Advance Wars: Dark Conflict in Europe and Australia, is a turn-based strategy video game for the Nintendo DS handheld game console . It is the fourth installment in the Advance Wars series after Advance Wars: Dual Strike and was released in 2008 for North America on January 21; in Europe on January 25; and in Australia on February 21. A Japanese release

192-402: A "dreary post-apocalyptic setting". 1UP.com praised the new turn Days of Ruin has taken for the series, but noted that the storyline, while darker than before, was still close in tone to the humor of the previous games. The new CO deployment feature was called the biggest change to the gameplay. The game was criticized for the removal of several staple features of the series, but complimented

288-466: A "good game, well played". Many video games have also inspired internet memes and achieved a very large following online. The culture of online gaming sometimes faces criticism for an environment that can promote cyberbullying , violence, and xenophobia . Some are also concerned about gaming addiction or social stigma . However, it has been argued that, since the players of an online game are strangers to each other and have limited communication,

384-555: A Solar Empire , StarCraft and Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War . Massively multiplayer online games were made possible with the growth of broadband Internet access in many developed countries, using the Internet to allow hundreds of thousands of players to play the same game together. Many different styles of massively multiplayer games are available, such as: A specific subgenre of strategy video games referred to as multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) gained popularity in

480-430: A battle. All three categories are rated on a scale from 0–150, and added together to form a numerical ranking from 0–450 in addition to their letter ranking; for example, any score between 300 and 450 earns an S ranking. Unlike previous games, the numerical score is not converted into points that can be redeemed to purchase new maps and COs; instead, COs are unlocked after the completion of certain missions and all maps (with

576-564: A five-tile radius of Fog of War. New terrain is available in the game: Wasteland, which impedes the movement of ground vehicles; Ruins, which provide a minor defense bonus for ground units and hiding places in Fog of War; Fire, which is impassable and illuminates the surrounding area during Fog of War; Rough Sea, which impedes the movement of naval units; Mist, which provides a defense bonus and hiding place for naval units; and Meteors and Plasma. Plasma forms an impassable wall that no unit can cross, and

672-697: A friend, more options are opened up to allow greater customization of the match, such as the type of weather and the duration of the match. Voice chat is only supported when playing with a friend, and is unavailable during worldwide online play. Players also have the option of using local multiplayer, which requires that each player have a separate DS game card and increases the limit of those who can participate to between 2-4 players. 28 classic maps from previous Advance Wars games, 70 two-player maps, 32 three-player maps, and 30 four-player maps are all playable with local multiplayer. Custom maps can also be used in multiplayer. The conditions of these maps can be customized by

768-411: A massive dust cloud to blot out the sun, preventing photosynthesis and thereby preventing the growing of crops . Scattered survivors pick through the wreckage, and the remnants of several military superpowers patrol the ravaged landscape, some factions protecting the innocent while the others prey upon them. Following the disaster, which obliterated much of the warring nations of Rubinelle and Lazuria,

864-454: A modem or local network. As the Internet started to grow during the 1990s, software was developed that would allow players to tunnel the LAN protocols used by the games over the Internet. By the late 1990s, most RTS games had native Internet support, allowing players from all over the globe to play with each other. Popular RTS games with online communities have included Age of Empires , Sins of

960-501: A mysterious faction with unknown motives takes advantage of the destruction and pushes both sides deeper into conflict from behind the scenes. The primary objective in Days of Ruin is for the player to use their military force to defeat the enemy's force. Except for certain single player missions with special objectives, there are two ways to defeat an opponent: destroy all of the enemy's units or capture their headquarters. The battle system

1056-480: A new form of online game. Since Doom, many first-person shooter games contain online components to allow deathmatch or arena style play. And by popularity, first person shooter games are becoming more and more widespread around the world. As games became more realistic and competitive, an e-sports community was born. Games like Counter-Strike , Halo , Call of Duty , Quake Live and Unreal Tournament are popular with these tournaments . These tournaments have

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1152-688: A new type of online game came to popularity alongside World of Warcraft , Defense of the Ancients (2003) which introduced the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) format. DotA , a community-created mod based on Warcraft III , gained in popularity as interest in World of Warcraft waned, but since the format was tied to the Warcraft property, others began to develop their own MOBAs, including Heroes of Newerth (2009), League of Legends (2010), and Dota 2 (2013). Blizzard Entertainment ,

1248-533: A period of converting board and historic TBS games to computer games, companies began basing computer turn-based strategy games on completely original properties or concepts. The presence of a computer to calculate and arbitrate allows game complexity which is not feasible in a traditional board game. Some well known turn-based strategy games are Sid Meier 's Civilization series, Heroes of Might and Magic series, Panzer General series, Warlords series, and Age of Wonders series. A further market trend

1344-504: A phenomenon that prevents players from seeing enemy units other than those in the visual range of their own units; various weather conditions; and CO powers. The entire cast from the previous games has been replaced with new characters. CO powers have been toned down, and no longer affect all units or the whole map. Tag powers from Dual Strike , which allowed players to move twice in one turn, have been removed. Players gain CO powers much later in

1440-427: A player to have to sit and stare at a screen while three other people made their moves. When asked why the mechanism of unlocking maps and characters - accomplished in previous titles by purchasing them with points or coins won through battle - was removed, the developers apologized, commenting that after long deliberation, they felt that such a mechanic was detrimental to the enjoyment of gamers who are too busy to take

1536-467: A positive rating, calling the game "comfortingly familiar" with battles that are "more approachable than before". Online multiplayer was noted as taking "wireless connectivity and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection further than any game that has preceded it". One of the main flaws of Days of Ruin was identified as a lack of gameplay innovation. Game Informer 's Adam Biessener called it "an excellent game", but criticized its change from "charming, cartoony roots" to

1632-632: A private military contractor that had secretly supported first the Lazurians, then the NRA by supplying them with weapons of mass destruction. Dr. Caulder, leader of IDS, had taken advantage of the world's devastation to carry out horrific biological and psychological experiments that he would have been unable to undertake otherwise, such as creating and spreading a terrible new disease called the Creeper, which causes flowers to bloom from infected individuals, for

1728-540: A range of winnings from money to hardware. Expansion of hero shooters , a sub-genre of shooter games , happened in 2016 when several developers released or announced their hero shooter multiplayer online game . Hero shooters have been considered to have strong potential as an esport, as a large degree of skill and coordination arises from the importance of teamwork. Some notable examples include Battleborn , Overwatch , Paladins and Valorant . Early real-time strategy games often allowed multiplayer play over

1824-535: A rating label. The voluntary rating system was established by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). A scale can range from "E" (stands for Everyone) inferring games that are suitable for both children and adults, to "M" (stands for Mature) recommending games that are restricted to age above 17. Some explicit online games can be rated "AO" (stands for Adult Only), identifying games that have content suitable for only adults over

1920-437: A realistic (or at least believable) representation of military tactics and operations. Tactical role-playing games are a part of this genre. Examples include Fire Emblem , The Battle for Wesnoth , Poxnora , Silent Storm , Steel Panthers: World at War! , King's Bounty , Great Big War Game , Nintendo Wars , UniWar , XCOM 2 , The Battle of Polytopia and Chessaria: The Tactical Adventure . After

2016-581: A router. With the original Xbox Microsoft launched Xbox Live, allowing shared play over the internet. A similar feature exists on the PlayStation 3 in the form of the PlayStation Network , and the Wii also supports a limited amount of online gaming. Nintendo also had a network, dubbed " Nintendo Network ", that fully supported online gaming with the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS . With the launch of

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2112-521: A search, Will discovers a mysterious amnesiac who does not remember her own name, but somehow knows detailed military information. Will later names her Isabella, and she becomes a vital part of the battalion as they put an end to the Beast's reign of terror. One year after the meteor strikes, the 12th Battalion comes into contact with the New Rubinelle Army, and learns of the war raging between

2208-598: A separate faction. These factions have different names in the American, European, and Japanese versions of the game. In a first for the series, Days of Ruin includes online multiplayer via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service, as well as a feature for players to share their own custom map designs and download maps made by others (creating and sharing custom maps is a feature present in every Advance Wars game). Over 150 premade maps are included in

2304-410: A substantial rise in popularity with the release of Battleborn and Overwatch in 2016 . The genre continued to grow with games such as Paladins (2018) and Valorant (2020). A battle royale game format became widely popular with the release of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (2017), Fortnite Battle Royale (2017), and Apex Legends (2019). The popularity of the genre continued in

2400-456: A young cadet from the Rubinelle military academy named Will escapes the ruins of the academy's mess hall and is confronted by The Beast, a former sergeant gone rogue who leads a small band of raiders. Will is rescued by Brenner and Lin of Rubinelle's 12th Battalion (nicknamed "Brenner's Wolves"), and takes on the group's cause of saving as many survivors of the meteor strikes as possible. During

2496-595: Is a good example of browser-based games in this genre. Online game This is an accepted version of this page An online game is a video game that is either partially or primarily played through the Internet or any other computer network available. Online games are ubiquitous on modern gaming platforms, including PCs , consoles and mobile devices , and span many genres , including first-person shooters , strategy games , and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG). In 2019, revenue in

2592-424: Is a legal contract between the producer or distributor and the end-user of an application or software, which is to prevent the program from being copied, redistributed or hacked. The consequences of breaking the agreement vary according to the contract. Players could receive warnings to termination, or direct termination without warning. In the 3D immersive world Second Life where a breach of contract will append

2688-474: Is a term broadly used to describe any game, or aspect of a game, where players compete against each other rather than against computer-controlled opponents. During the 1990s, online games started to move from a wide variety of LAN protocols (such as IPX ) and onto the Internet using the TCP/IP protocol. Doom popularized the concept of a deathmatch , where multiple players battle each other head-to-head, as

2784-561: Is designed exclusively for multiplayer gameplay over the Internet. MUD is a class of multi-user real-time virtual worlds, usually but not exclusively text-based, with a history extending back to the creation of MUD1 by Richard Bartle in 1978. MUD were the direct predecessors of MMORPG . A social deduction game is a multiplayer online game in which players attempt to uncover each other's hidden role or team allegiance using logic and deductive reasoning, while other players can bluff to keep players from suspecting them. A notable example of

2880-491: Is generated by Meteors. Once a Meteor is destroyed, any Plasma in contact with it disappears, allowing units to pass. Plasma that is not in contact with a meteor cannot be destroyed. The campaign plays out through 26 missions, with story scenes that tie the plot together occurring between and during the battles. In addition, 38 training missions are unlocked as the missions are completed. The training missions are more challenging, entirely optional, and can be played separately from

2976-463: Is identified as "I", "II", or "Vet", with "Vet" being the highest level. While units with higher levels are more powerful than new units, the power increase is slight. Unit experience is not persistent, and the player begins each mission with new units. Not only does the attack increase with each level, but the defense of the unit also increases. Unit prices have been readjusted and some units renamed, as well as new ones introduced. New land units include

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin - Misplaced Pages Continue

3072-656: Is the rise of "Indie" TBS games (games produced by small groups, independent or only somewhat affiliated with the major elements in the computer games industry). These games often extend or refine already existing TBS games. Examples include Freeciv or Golden Age of Civilizations . Since turn-based strategy games do not typically require vast amounts of art or modeling, developers willing to volunteer their time can focus on gameplay. Directories like Freecode provide large lists of open-source , turn-based strategy projects. Online browser-based games do not require users to install files and are often free. The Hex Empire set of games

3168-419: Is turn-based; two-to-four forces, each headed by a commanding officer (CO), take turns building and commanding units on grid-based maps. Every turn, units, which consist of ground, sea, and air units, can move across the different types of terrain and attack enemy units or perform other actions, such as submerging a submarine or resupplying friendly units. Many factors can affect the battle, such as fog of war ,

3264-1136: The Nintendo Switch , Nintendo launched the Nintendo Switch Online service to replace the older Nintendo Network. As the World Wide Web developed and browsers became more sophisticated, people started creating browser games that used a web browser as a client. Simple single player games were made that could be played using a web browser (most commonly made with web technologies like HTML , JavaScript , ASP , PHP and MySQL ). The development of web-based graphics technologies such as Flash and Java allowed browser games to become more complex. These games, also known by their related technology as " Flash games " or "Java games", became increasingly popular. Games ranged from simple concepts to large-scale games, some of which were later released on consoles. Many Java or Flash games were shared on various different websites, bringing them to wide audiences. Browser-based pet games are popular among

3360-557: The 2010s as a form of electronic sports , encompassing games such as the Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft III , League of Legends , Dota 2 , Smite , and Heroes of the Storm . Major esports professional tournaments are held in venues that can hold tens of thousands of spectators and are streamed online to millions more. A strong fanbase has opened up the opportunity for sponsorship and advertising, eventually leading

3456-524: The 2020s with the release of the Call of Duty: Warzone (2020). Each game has received tens of millions of players within months of its releases. The assumption that online games in general are populated mostly by males has remained somewhat accurate for years. Recent statistics begin to diminish the male domination myth in gaming culture. Although a worldwide number of male gamers still dominates over female (52% by 48%), women accounted for more than half of

3552-593: The Battleship, which can now move and attack in one round, and the Aircraft Carrier, which can produce low-fuel aircraft called Seaplanes. Another new unit is the Gunship, which can attack and carry units as well. In discussing the newly introduced online play, the developers felt that it was necessary to limit online battles to only two people per battle, explaining that they felt it would be too boring for

3648-778: The Bike, a highly mobile infantry unit that can capture properties; the Flare, an armored vehicle unit that can reveal areas affected by the Fog of War; the Anti-Tank, an indirect-fire unit strong against tanks with the ability to counter-attack during direct attacks; and the War Tank (formerly the Mega Tank), the strongest ground unit in the game. New air units include the Duster, a weaker, lower-cost interceptor that can strike ground units; and

3744-444: The CO zone. As damage is dealt by units within the CO zone, the CO's power meter fills slightly, at a rate of one bar per five hit points worth of damage inflicted. As the CO power meter is filled, the CO zone grows larger. When the meter is full, the CO can activate his or her power which has an effect on the whole battlefield, such as repairing allied units, damaging enemy units, or temporarily altering weather conditions. In addition,

3840-613: The Lazurian Army and the NRA. Brenner reluctantly sides with Greyfield, leader of the NRA, and advances on the Lazurian force, eventually defeating them at Fort Lazuria. Distraught by the ruthless execution of the Lazurian commander, Forsythe, Brenner and the 12th Battalion break the Lazurian prisoners out of an NRA internment camp before they can be executed. While the group escapes, Brenner stays behind and hides in an abandoned city to buy them some time. An infuriated Greyfield orders

3936-578: The Rig unit (formerly known as the APC). Temporary properties cannot build new units like other properties can, can only be used as stationary resupply bases providing some defensive cover for units, and can be captured by enemy units. Each Rig unit can construct one of two temporary properties, the Temporary Port and Temporary Airport. Additionally, the new Radar property has been added; when captured it clears

Advance Wars: Days of Ruin - Misplaced Pages Continue

4032-627: The Seaplane, which is produced by Carriers and can attack any unit, but has limited ammo and fuel reserves. Additionally, there is a single new sea unit, the Gunboat, which is armed with a missile salvo that must be resupplied after each use, and can transport one infantry/mech unit. Also, the Battleship now has the ability to move and fire in the same turn, making it the only indirect-combat unit able to do so. New properties have also been introduced, including temporary properties which are constructed by

4128-570: The Winds (1996), Quakeworld (1996), Ultima Online (1997), Lineage (1998), StarCraft (1998), Counter-Strike (1999) and EverQuest (1999). Video game consoles also began to receive online networking features, such as the Famicom Modem (1987), Sega Meganet (1990), Satellaview (1995), SegaNet (2000), PlayStation 2 (2000) and Xbox (2001). Following improvements in connection speeds, more recent developments include

4224-595: The Year ". In North America, Days of Ruin sold over 81,000 copies in January after its release, and close to 50,300 copies in February, bringing total sales in the region to over 130,000 as of March 2008. In 2009, Official Nintendo Magazine wrote that "few games are capable of so completely ensnaring the player - its chess-like gameplay at once ridiculously sophisticated while still being extremely accessible", ranking

4320-472: The age of 18. Furthermore, online games must also carry an ESRB notice that warns that any "online interactions are not rated by the ESRB". The video game industry is highly competitive. As a result, many online games end up not generating enough profits, such that the service providers do not have the incentives to continue running the servers . In such cases, the developers of a game might decide to shut down

4416-574: The campaign than in previous games, and they have a much less significant role in overall gameplay. At the HQ or any unit-producing property, COs can join with a specific unit, and automatically promote that unit to Vet level, but at the cost of half of that unit's value. The CO's unit confers an advantage on friendly units within a certain range, the "CO zone". These effects are generally minor advantages such as attack or defense boosts. CO effects are constant and, unlike previous games, only benefit units within

4512-484: The campaign. One new feature in Days of Ruin is that campaign missions can now be played individually as the player completes them. Like the training missions, campaign missions can be selected from the main menu at any time. Upon completing a mission, the player is awarded a rank, starting with the lowest at C and going to B, A, and S, which is the highest. The ranks are based on three categories: Power, Technique, and Speed, each determined by meeting certain conditions in

4608-577: The decade. Several other MMOs attempted to follow in Warcraft ' s footsteps, such as Star Wars Galaxies , City of Heroes , Wildstar , Warhammer Online , Guild Wars 2 , and Star Wars: The Old Republic , but failed to make a significant impact in Warcraft ' s market share. Over time, the MMORPG community has developed a sub-culture with its own slang and metaphors, as well as an unwritten list of social rules and taboos. Separately,

4704-407: The exception of training missions) are available at the beginning of gameplay. In a departure from the previous games, which included five factions in the campaign, Days of Ruin features only four: the Rubinelle 12th Battalion (Red), Lazurian Army (Blue), New Rubinelle Army (Yellow), and Intelligent Defense Systems (Black), although The Beast (also Black and also allied with IDS) could be considered

4800-404: The game 19th on a list of the greatest Nintendo games. Turn-based strategy Many board games are turn based, such as chess , Reversi , checkers , Hare games , and Go , as well as many modern board games . Turn-based tactical game-play is characterized by the expectation of players to complete their tasks by using the combat forces provided to them, and usually by the provision of

4896-460: The game for its online support, the map editor, and sharper visuals, but criticized it for its difficult campaign mode and felt that the story wasn't strong enough to support the darker tone of the game. During the 12th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards , the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Days of Ruin for " Hand-Held Game of the Year " and " Strategy/Simulation Game of

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4992-608: The game for use in local multiplayer , and designed for two, three, and four-player matches. Multiplayer games can be played with only one DS game card via a hot-seat mechanic; each player can pass the game to the next player when it is their turn. It is also possible to set all sides to CPU, which is useful for studying the AI. When players create and upload their own custom maps to the Wi-Fi Connection, these maps can be tested and given approval ratings by other players from around

5088-572: The game is able to store up to 50 custom maps. When using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection for online multiplayer, the player can choose between a match with a random opponent from around the world, or a match with someone that the player has exchanged friend codes with. Worldwide matches are limited to two players, with the weather conditions being randomly generated and a map randomly chosen from a set list. Worldwide match players can choose if they want an opponent close to their skill level or to play against an opponent regardless of skill level. When playing with

5184-471: The game might still be playable without the server, but certain important functionalities will be lost. For example, earning key in-game items often requires a server that can track each player's progress. In some cases, an online game may be relaunched in a substantially different form after shutting down, in an attempt to increase the game's quality, remedy low sales, or reverse a declining player base, and see significantly greater success. Final Fantasy XIV

5280-413: The game, but it's the same thing". In creating the new art style, setting, and plot, the developers discovered that Japanese people have a different view on war than Westerners, citing the previous titles' lighthearted take on the subject. As a result, they designed the game to be grittier and more somber to cater to Western audiences. Another major influence on the new direction was sales data; Advance Wars

5376-550: The genre to become a global cultural phenomenon. A battle royale game is a genre that blends the survival, exploration and scavenging elements of a survival game with last-man-standing gameplay. Dozens to hundreds of players are involved in each match, with the winner being the last player or team alive. Some notable examples include PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds , Fortnite Battle Royale , Apex Legends , and Call of Duty: Warzone , each having received tens of millions of players within months of their releases. The genre

5472-471: The increase in volume may make it seem like that was the case, it was not their intention. They explained that while Fire Emblem placed importance on individual units, Advance Wars was about improving as a Commanding Officer. The developers intended to require the players to employ more tactical approaches to maps, in their introduction of such units as the Flare Gun, a vehicle that could reveal parts of

5568-473: The individual player's experience in an online game is not necessarily different from playing with artificial intelligence players. The history of online games dates back to the early days of packet-based computer networking in the 1970s, An early example of online games is MUDs , including the first, MUD1 , which was created in 1978 and originally confined to an internal network before becoming connected to ARPANet in 1980. Commercial games followed in

5664-448: The influx. However, games may remain a commercial failure despite a planned relaunch. These include the 2015 asymmetrical first-person shooter Evolve , which transitioned to a free-to-play title known as Evolve Stage 2 a year after launch, after it was criticized for its significant amount of DLC despite being a full-priced game, but had its servers permanently shut down roughly two years later after its user base "evaporated" as

5760-427: The map hidden by fog of war, and the commanding officers, who have had their "CO Powers" reduced in importance from the previous titles. However, the developers added that one does not have to be a "master strategist" to play the game, commenting that the Flare Gun could be used by casual players to quickly move across a map covered in fog of war , while more advanced players may use it for more strategic means. This unit

5856-639: The new online play feature as being "the most balanced Advance Wars experience". IGN gave the game a high rating for taking risks with its artistic design, but also criticized the loss of old single-player modes in favor of new multiplayer content. IGN named Advance Wars: Days of Ruin the Best Online Multiplayer Game of 2008 for the Nintendo DS. The game was also a nominee for other awards from IGN, including Best Strategy Game and Best Artistic Design. GameSpot 's Ryan Davis praised

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5952-496: The next decade, with Islands of Kesmai , the first commercial online role-playing game , debuting in 1984, as well as more graphical games, such as the MSX LINKS action games in 1986, the flight simulator Air Warrior in 1987, and the Famicom Modem 's online Go game in 1987. The rapid availability of the Internet in the 1990s led to an expansion of online games, with notable titles including Nexus: The Kingdom of

6048-458: The offensive and defensive boosts that normally apply only in the CO zone are applied to all allied units on the whole battlefield for the turn that the CO power is active. If the CO unit is destroyed, the CO meter empties and the CO returns to the HQ, where they can be assigned to another unit. Units can now level up in battle, increasing their capabilities. Units increase their level once for each enemy unit that they destroy. The level of each unit

6144-475: The online games segment reached $ 16.9 billion, with $ 4.2 billion generated by China and $ 3.5 billion in the United States. Since the 2010s, a common trend among online games has been to operate them as games as a service , using monetization schemes such as loot boxes and battle passes as purchasable items atop freely-offered games. Unlike purchased retail games, online games have

6240-500: The owner of Warcraft property, released their own take on the MOBA genre with Heroes of the Storm (2015), emphasizing on numerous original heroes from Warcraft III and other Blizzard's franchises. By the early 2010s, the genre had become a big part of the esports category. During the last half of the 2010s, hero shooter , a variation of shooter games inspired by multiplayer online battle arenas and older class-based shooters, had

6336-688: The player warnings, suspension and termination depending on the offense. Where online games supports an in-game chat feature, it is not uncommon to encounter hate speech , sexual harassment and cyberbullying . Players, developers, gaming companies, and professional observers are discussing and developing tools which discourage antisocial behavior . There are also sometimes Moderators present, who attempt to prevent anti-Social behavior. Online games also often involve real-life illegal behavior, such as scam, financial crimes, invasion of privacy, and other issues. Recent development of gaming governance requires all video games (including online games) to hold

6432-495: The players of certain games. As of 2019, the average gamer is 33 years old. The report Online Game Market Forecasts estimates worldwide revenue from online games to reach $ 35 billion by 2017, up from $ 19 billion in 2011. Xbox Live was launched in November 2002. Initially the console only used a feature called system link, where players could connect two consoles using an Ethernet cable , or multiple consoles through

6528-408: The players' existing real-life communities. Some online games can receive a massive influx of popularity due to many well-known Twitch streamers and YouTubers playing them. Online gaming has drastically increased the scope and size of video game culture . Online games have attracted players of a variety of ages, nationalities, and occupations. The online game content is now being studied in

6624-492: The players. Also, like in previous games, there is an option to use one DS system and game card to play with up to four players. Via a hot-seat system, the player plays their turn and then passes the DS to the next player in order. The story of Days of Ruin is unconnected to the stories of previous games. Almost 90% of humanity has been killed off following devastating meteor strikes which have destroyed much of civilization and caused

6720-404: The popularization of new genres, such as social games , and new platforms, such as mobile games . Entering into the 2000s, the cost of technology, servers, and the Internet has dropped so far that fast Internet was commonplace, which led to previously unknown genres like massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) becoming well-known. For example, World of Warcraft (2004) dominated much of

6816-571: The previous games. Set amidst a post-apocalyptic world, the story focuses on the Rubinelle 12th Battalion, one of the surviving remnants of the military of the country of Rubinelle, which had been locked in a century-long war with its rival, Lazuria, prior to a devastating global meteor shower. In the aftermath, the Battalion devotes itself to assisting survivors and restoring order, despite the shattered nations renewing their war against each other and an incurable disease ravaging both sides. Meanwhile,

6912-552: The problem of not being permanently playable , as they require special servers in order to function. The design of online games can range from simple text-based environments to the incorporation of complex graphics and virtual worlds . The existence of online components within a game can range from being minor features, such as an online leaderboard , to being part of core gameplay , such as directly playing against other players. Many online games create their own online communities, while other games, especially social games, integrate

7008-435: The removal of series staple features, including dual-screen play, leveling up Commanding Officers, Survival Mode, Combat Mode, and Hard Mode. The dual-screen play was removed, with the developers commenting that while it could have been implemented, it did not need to be, and the full use of the dual screens for viewing intel on units and terrain allowed the gameplay to proceed more seamlessly. The ability to level up players' COs

7104-485: The scientific field, especially gamers ' interactions within virtual societies in relation to the behavior and social phenomena of everyday life. As in other cultures, the community has developed a gamut of slang words or phrases that can be used for communication in or outside of games. Due to their growing online nature, modern video game slang overlaps heavily with internet slang , as well as leetspeak , with many words such as " pwn " and " noob ". Another term that

7200-492: The series was to ensure that this new world and the new characters were understandable by the player, though the developers acknowledge that it could also distract from the strategic gameplay. The developers felt that the dialogue made the story more enjoyable for the players, as opposed to being a vehicle to move the gameplay forward. When asked if Days of Ruin was an attempt to bridge this series with fellow Intelligent Systems series Fire Emblem , developers commented that while

7296-419: The series would find fresh. The setting was also a reason for the design change, being a "not-so-distant future science fiction" setting, which the developers felt didn't fit well with the style of previous titles. When asked whether they feared that gamers would be turned off by the changes, the developers responded by saying that they have to "fight against" this fear. The developers felt that without innovation,

7392-472: The series would turn players off, so they introduced new gameplay mechanics as well as the new setting. In discussing the more lighthearted elements of the plot, such as Dr. Morris, a character who tells corny jokes, the developers commented that these elements accentuated the dark elements of the game rather than detracted from them, as well as showing the stability of the survivors' mental conditions. The decision to include more dialogue than previous entries in

7488-403: The server permanently. Shutting down an online game can severely impact the players. Typically, a server shutdown means players will no longer be able to play the game. For many players, this can cause a sense of loss at an emotional level, since they often dedicate time and effort to making in-game progress, e.g., completing in-game tasks to earn items for their characters. In some other cases,

7584-399: The social deduction video game is Among Us , which received a massive influx of popularity in 2020 due to many well-known Twitch streamers and YouTubers playing it. Among Us has also inspired internet memes and achieved a very large following online. Online gamers must agree to an End-user license agreement (EULA) when they first install the game application or an update. EULA

7680-459: The sole purpose of studying the survivor's reactions. Despite numerous demoralizing attacks by IDS and its massive bomber, the Great Owl, the battalion survives and infiltrates and brings down the Great Owl, eventually pursuing Caulder to his main laboratory and fortress, The Nest. In the end, Caulder is killed in the destruction of his lab, and the war is finally brought to an end. One year later,

7776-569: The storyline, gameplay, and features. Several minor details distinguish each version, such as differences in the names of the factions, characters, chapter names and units, as well as significant dialogue changes. This is due to Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe receiving Japanese copies of the game to translate independently, resulting in unique versions for each region. Advance Wars: Days of Ruin has received generally positive reviews, having aggregate scores of 85 and 86 on GameRankings and Metacritic , respectively. Nintendo Power gave

7872-671: The tentative name, but two months later in October a playable demo version was showcased at the Micromania Games Show in Paris, France, where the new darker style was first revealed. The game's title was officially released as Advance Wars: Days of Ruin for the North American version, with a planned shipping date of January 21, 2008; the alternate name of Advance Wars: Dark Conflict for European and Australian versions

7968-455: The time to unlock all of these things. As a result, they designed this game in a way that allowed players to play any non-story based map they wanted, introducing other mechanics to encourage players to keep playing. The developers commented that Days of Ruin had more strategy than previous entries in the series due to the changes and removals made to the established formula compared to the other titles. Another interviewer further inquired about

8064-429: The use of a new weapon which completely destroys the city, killing Brenner and the NRA troops searching for him. Lin later leads a force against Greyfield, preventing the launch of a wave of deadly Caulder missiles and defeating the NRA once and for all. In the process, Lin personally shoots and kills Greyfield, avenging Brenner's death. The 12th Battalion is unexpectedly attacked soon after by Intelligent Defense Systems,

8160-404: The village of New Hope, founded by the 12th Battalion after the conflict, begins to flourish in the new-found peace. The sun is seen rising above the nearby hills for the first time since the meteor strikes, giving hope of a brighter future. Days of Ruin was announced as Advance Wars DS 2 during the 2007 E3 Media and Business Summit . No other details for this installment were given other than

8256-510: The world, preferring to have a more focused game. Finally, Hard Mode was removed due to the developers feeling that the Normal Mode was designed in such a way that a widespread audience could enjoy it. They also commented that earning a high ranking in this mode by doing a good job was effectively the same as Hard mode. The European and Australian release, Dark Conflict , is identical to the North American release, Days of Ruin , in terms of

8352-549: The world. Players can download randomly selected maps from the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, or they can choose maps based on their approval ratings. In order to upload a map, the player must win it once, and rate it based on its difficulty. The maximum size for uploadable maps is 10x10 tiles, and the player can only upload one at a time; if the player uploads another map, then the original one is replaced. Maps can have any dimensions between 30x30 and 5x5 tiles, and

8448-536: The younger generation of online gamers. These games range from gigantic games with millions of users, such as Neopets , to smaller and more community-based pet games. More recent browser-based games use web technologies like Ajax to make more complicated multiplayer interactions possible and WebGL to generate hardware-accelerated 3D graphics without the need for plugins. PvE is a term used in online games, particularly MMORPGs and other role-playing video games, to refer to fighting computer-controlled opponents. PvP

8544-452: Was added as a means to speed up stages with fog of war. Other new units include the Bike, which was a means of achieving a faster tempo to the game. When asked why the Duster, a modified crop duster , was added in favor of the stealth jet from the game's predecessor Advance Wars: Dual Strike , the developers commented that the Duster was an inexpensive aerial unit that was not only easy to use, but could attack ground units as well. The unit

8640-443: Was also added to be a throwback to an older era, as well as demonstrating how people in this world use anything they can as a means of survival. Other additions include the Rig and the Anti-Tank; the Rig is a modified version of an APC from the previous titles modified to be able to build temporary buildings, while the Anti-Tank is both a direct and long-range weapon specifically designed to do damage to tanks. Two modifications include

8736-461: Was introduced in Dual Strike , the developers commenting that the gameplay centered around how well players utilized their Commanding Officer. This mechanic was replaced by the ability to level up individual units, commenting that this mechanic required players to work strategically with how they deploy their units. The Survival and Combat Modes were removed due to not fitting with the redesign of

8832-538: Was more successful in North America than in Japan. The developers discussed the kinds of people that would exist in this world - people who seek out others to help them; people who attempt to further their own agendas by taking control of pieces of land; and those who attempt to hoard supplies and kill anyone who gets in their way. They added that they also wanted to make an Advance Wars title that even veterans of

8928-412: Was negatively received upon its 2010 release, and relaunched as A Realm Reborn in 2013 - the new version was met with considerable positive reception, and is still running as of 2022. Splitgate: Arena Warfare relaunched as Splitgate in 2021, switching to a free-to-play model and adding cross-platform multiplayer, and subsequently saw 2 million new players, with the servers being unable to handle

9024-507: Was planned under the title of Famicom Wars DS: Lost Light , but was canceled after a series of delays. It finally became available in Japan through Club Nintendo in October 2013 as a downloadable platinum status reward for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. Days of Ruin features a grim and more serious tone and atmosphere in contrast to the previous light-hearted installments, with a new storyline, characters and setting independent of

9120-408: Was popularized by the video game community is the abbreviation " AFK " to refer to people who are not at the computer or paying attention. Other common abbreviations include "GL HF" which stands for "good luck, have fun," which is often said at the beginning of a match to show good sportsmanship. Likewise, at the end of a game, " GG " or "GG WP" may be said to congratulate the opponent, win or lose, on

9216-412: Was released in early December. Advance Wars: Days of Ruin features a different art style and tone than previous entries in the series. When asked why it was changed, the developers stated that they wanted to surprise people. One of the game's English localizers , Tim O'Leary, commented that the design change also came from reading comments from people stating to the effect of, "We like the game, we love

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